Latest science news in Paleontology & Archaeology
Stolen during WWII, an erotic Roman mosaic returns home
A steamy piece of stolen history has finally returned to Italy, decades after its initial disappearance. According to the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, national authorities and military officials spent the past two years...
Prehistoric ‘scalopini’ mole fossil uncovered in an ancient Spanish volcano crater
Researchers have discovered a new genus and species of prehistoric mole in Spain. Vulcanoscaptor ninoti lived during the Pliocene Epoch, from 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago and belonged to the Scalopini, a...
The 4,000-year-old mystery of a shepherd’s arrow to the back
Grisly, 4,000-year-old forensic evidence found in a cave in the Pyrenees Mountains hints at a serious disagreement between members of the region’s first shepherds. According to archaeologists at the Catalan Institute of Human...
New species of pterosaur discovered in Patagonia
This is a paleoartist's reconstruction of a ptesosaur. Scientists today announced the discovery of a new species of pterosaur from the Patagonia region of South America. The cranial remains...
Viral fossils reveal how our ancestors may have eliminated an ancient infection
Some viruses can insert their genetic material into the genome of their host, creating a genetic fossil record. Researchers have uncovered how our ancestors may have wiped out one such...
Crocodile rock: ancient beast named after Motörhead band's Lemmy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A ferocious sea-going crocodile that menaced coastal waters about 164 million years ago during the Jurassic Period has been given a name honoring the similarly ferocious heavy-metal...
Engraved prehistoric human bones show ritualistic cannibalism
LONDON (Reuters) - Engravings on a human bone from a prehistoric archaeological site in a cave in southern England shows that human cannibals ate their prey and then performed ritualistic...
It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a prehistoric gliding mammal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In dense Chinese forests populated by dinosaurs 160 million years ago, two furry critters resembling flying squirrels glided from tree to tree, showing that even in such...
Infant ape fossil skull illuminates humankind's remote past
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The lemon-sized fossil skull of an infant ape nicknamed Alesi that inhabited a Kenyan forest about 13 million years ago is offering a peek at what the...
Ancient human ancestor emerges from sunken Southeast Asian landmass
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Onion holds up mirror; society flashes big smile (with green stuff in teeth)
Christine Wenc. Photo by Alexander Andre Nation & World Onion holds up mirror; society flashes big smile (with green stuff in teeth) How some students at University of Wisconsin-Madison created satiric cultural institution...
When trash becomes a universe
Arts & Culture When trash becomes a universe Bottle caps found on the Australian coast.© TRES [ilana boltvinik + rodrigo viñas], photo illustration by Liz Zonarich/Harvard staff Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer June...
Long in the tooth
Science & Tech Long in the tooth Kevin Uno (left) and Daniel Green look at fossil samples in the lab. Photo by Grace DuVal Clea Simon Harvard Correspondent July 9, 2025 5...
A walking elegy, tiny gallery, and gentle Brutalism
Campus & Community A walking elegy, tiny gallery, and gentle Brutalism Photo illustration by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff July 9, 2025 2 min read Photography professor recommends 3 local spots to find beauty, solace...
Ancient DNA solves mystery of Hungarian, Finnish language family’s origins
Tian Chen (T.C.) Zeng (from left) and David Reich.Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer Science & Tech Ancient DNA solves mystery of Hungarian, Finnish language family’s origins Parent emerged over 4,000 years ago in Siberia,...
How fast did dinosaurs really go? Birds walking in mud provide new clues
Tracks of dinosaur footprints can hint at how fast the extinct animals moved. Here’s how guinea fowl can help fact-check those assumptions.
How an ancient marine predator snuck up on its prey
Serrations at the edges of a fossilized flipper of the ancient marine reptile Temnodontosaurussuggests it may have been able to swim silently.
An ancient Earth impact could help in the search for Martian life
Strange cone-shaped rocks led scientists to the hidden remains of one of Earth’s oldest asteroid impacts. It could help us find fossil life on Mars.
Greenland sled dog DNA is a window into the Arctic’s archaeological past
A genomic analysis of Greenland’s Qimmeq dogs suggest they and their human partners arrived on the island centuries earlier than previously thought.
How fast did dinosaurs really go? Birds walking in mud provide new clues
Tracks of dinosaur footprints can hint at how fast the extinct animals moved. Here’s how guinea fowl can help fact-check those assumptions.
Tired of dating apps? This touchy-feely singles mixer is unlike anything you've tried before
Dating in L.A. can be hard. The Feels is an IRL singles event that weaves meditation, talking prompts and somatic exercises to help participants connect on a deeper level.
A new art show brings L.A. climate inequities to life at Descanso Gardens
"Roots of Cool" is an all-women art show focused on the role trees (and the shade they provide) play in making urban life healthier.
How to make a huge life change when it feels too daunting to make the first move
In her new book, 'Resurface: A Guide to Navigating Life's Biggest Transitions,' former Olympic diver Cassidy Krug explores how to start your life over.
BBC Inside Science
Hands on with the new research at this year’s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
The truth about life on other planets - and what it means for humans
Could discoveries of alien life ever change the human psyche in how we view ourselves and each other?
Solving the mystery of a dinosaur mass grave at the 'River of Death'
A group of researchers have come to Pipestone Creek in Canada to figure out why thousands of dinosaurs are buried here.
Huge Roman 'jigsaw' reveals 2,000-year-old wall paintings
Thousands of fragments of plaster are pieced together to reveal frescos from a Roman London villa.
Asteroid contains building blocks of life, say scientists
Bennu contains minerals and thousands of organic molecules, including the chemical components that make up DNA.